Depending on where you are reading from, we have some major national holidays right around the corner with Canada Day on July 1st and Independence Day on July 4th! These holidays typically involve a lot of outdoor time and fireworks to celebrate! Did you know that more dogs run away on these days than any other time of the year? Make sure to follow these tips to keep your dogs and cats safe during these holidays!
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Beat The Heat!
Many families enjoy being outside on Canada Day and Independence Day! Make sure to provide your pet with enough shade and cool spots to hang out, as well as plenty of water to avoid heat exhaustion! To find out more about heat exhaustion in dogs, read HERE for symptoms and treatment.
You can also provide options such as cooling vests and cooling mats as an option to help keep your pup cool! And of course a kiddie pool is a ton of fun for everyone…
Food Safety
There are many barbecue and picnic foods that you should not be sharing with your dog! Things like corn on the cob, rib bones and chicken bones pose a choking risk which can lead to an emergency trip to the vet. And since it is a holiday this means the after hours emergency vet and likely a hefty vet bill…
Other foods can be toxic for your dog, such as chocolate, potatoes, onions, garlic and grapes. Xylitol is another ingredient added to food that is extremely toxic to dogs and produces a huge insulin release which can quickly lower their blood sugar. It can cause lethargy, seizures, liver failure and in extreme cases death. Check ingredient lists to see if xylitol or sugar alcohol is added to food before giving a taste to your pup as it is common in gum, baked goods and even in some brands of ice cream. For more on Xylitol and dogs read PetMDs article here.
Water Safety
What a better way to spend a day to celebrate out on the water! Make sure to have plenty of hydration on hand and give your dog frequent bathroom breaks! I have life preservers with handles for my dogs as well in case they end up in the water! Grace loves to swim but she’s not a very good swimmer and tires very easily so this is a must if we are out on the water! I’m going to get her out on a paddle board with me yet…although I anticipate many dumps into the lake before she gets the hang of it. And Benson is already a lost cause I think because he is SCARED of the boards! Read more of the other every day (and completely harmless) things he is scared of here!
Fireworks
Canada Day and Independence Day go hand in hand with fireworks! However, some dogs are extremely sensitive to the sound (as well as local wildlife). If your dog is reactive, make sure to keep them in a secure and quiet place to limit the amount of distress they are under. You can also have background noise on so that they have less a chance of hearing them! But be sure to keep an eye on them to make sure they aren’t stressed out in their space. Try to walk your dog as early in the day as possible as well and before dark to lessen the chance of hearing fireworks.
If you are watching fireworks away from home, consider leaving your dog at home. If they slip their collar or get away from you they may run away. If you have no choice but to bring your dog, you can look at GPS collars in this type of situation to make sure that they are found quickly and safely! And of course, make sure that they have a collar with tags with your phone number on it so that you can be notified if someone finds your dog.
Calming agents such as CBD oil or a prescription from your vet administered before dark can also help to keep your dog calm. Be sure to check for the correct dose as CBD oil is dosed by weight. If you are looking at CBD oil, make sure to find a brand that has been tested by independent third parties and extracted using CO2 to ensure dosage consistency. Thundershirts can also be used as an option, and works much the same way as a weighted blanket does for people.
How are you choosing to celebrate this Canada Day or Independence Day? Are you going to be including Fido in your celebrations? Drop us a comment below to let us know how you plan on keeping your pets safe for these holidays!
Be sure to read our full post on heat exhaustion so you know what to watch for ahead of time here
Our full list of summer safety tips can also be found here
